


Connections

by storyhaus



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-01-07
Packaged: 2019-03-01 19:37:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 9,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13301784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyhaus/pseuds/storyhaus
Summary: Magneto's back and has set his sights on a college professor, can the X-Men stop him?





	1. Chapter 1

CONNECTIONS

 

Magneto has resurfaced and set his sights on a college professor, can the X-Men stop him?

Chapter 1

Logan sat up, heart pounding, as the fragmented remains of his dream faded. He mentally grasped at it in hopes it would reveal something about his past but it was already gone. He growled and kicked the covers off then left his roomclad in sweats and undershirt carrying a cigar and matches. Reaching the top of the stairs he sniffed the air and listened intently. Satisfied no one else was up he headed down the stairs and out the front door where he lit his cigar.  
He turned toward Canada and sighed. It had been weeks since Alkali Lake but the loss of Jean was still fresh, particularly for Scott. In the end she had chosen 'one eye' over Logan and he accepted it with unhidden pain.  
He sighed and turned away from the memory and the pain, the old Logan would have booked it out of there within days of returning from the mission that took her but now he had stayed.  
"The good guy sticks around." She had said.  
He would be the 'good guy' even if she wasn't here to see it.  
His thoughts turned to the kids, someone needed to look after them. He shook his head amused, he had been a lone wolf...until Rogue stowed away in his hauler. For the life of him he couldn't fathom what about the kid made him stop his camper and let her come along that fateful day.  
"It certainly changed my life." He snorted.  
But was it for the better?  
He thought about the Professor. He hadn't been able to talk to Charlie since their return. At first he decided to give him room , the man would be drained from what Stryker had put him through but when Logan did try to speak to him he was in the Cerebro Chamber basically incommunicato.  
The Professor had working on repairing Cerebro and Scott was dealing with his grief so it left Logan and Storm to repair the damage Stryker had done to the school and the kids.  
He rubbed his face forcing all thoughts from his head before a headache set in. Not that it would last long, there were upsides to his mutant healing abilities...no hangovers, no matter how much he drank--

*Logan, come to my study.*

Logan emitted a soft growl, he hated when the Professor got into his head!  
It had been a little disconcerting the first time they met, how easily the 'superpsychic', as Logan privately thought of him, how he knew Logan had no real memory of who, what, he was. The Professor had told him, after he came back from Alkali Lake and wanted to be 'read' again, that the brain was like a beehive, the gist being, a memory leads in a thousand different directions and someone had already tried to untangle his memories or perhaps tried to tangle them even more...but had the Professor's refusal been to protect Logan or...himself...from the memories?  
Maybe now I'll get some answers.  
He stepped back inside and padded barefoot to the study.  
His hopes turned to disappointment when he neared the door and caught the familiar scents of Ivory soap and Old Spice, meaning Scott Summers,Cyclops, was there and the smell of sandalwood, indicating Ororo Munroe, Storm was also present.  
The door opened as he reached it and he purposely didn't put out the cigar as he stepped into the room.

"Logan." Storm looked at the cigar distastefully making him frown but he pulled it from his mouth and ground it into his palm making her blanch. Logan stifled a chuckle then looked at his palm to see the burn nearly healed.

"Magneto has surfaced here in West Chester." Xavier told him showing them a holograph of where Cerebro had located his one-time friend.

Snikt.

Snikt.

The others turned to Logan who's adamantuim claws were protruding from his knuckles.

"Sorry." He muttered, it had been purely reflexive. Magento had hurt Rogue once and Logan vowed it would never happen again.

*I don't believe he's after Rogue again.*

"Like he wasn't after her before?!?* Logan thought back giving Xavier a look.

"He seems to be interested in the college, there are several mutants there, who he might be after I don't know." The Professor said choosing not to answer Logan's mental retort.

"Maybe we can run a check on the mutants there, find a possible reason for his interest?" Cyclops suggested.

"Good idea. Storm, Logan, head to the school, maybe you can get a glimpse of the Brotherhood, find out who they're after." The Professor ordered.

Storm rose with a nod and gently took Logan's arm leading him out.


	2. Connections 2

CONNECTIONS 

Chapter 2

As Storm drove the jeep she gave Logan a disapproving look for not buckling up.  
He stared back, not like I'll die if we get into an accident, my healing abilities will take care of it.  
She sighed knowing it wasn't worth the battle with the stubborn man and they drove in silence for a while before she spoke."Have you spoken to the Professor?"  
He didn't need to ask her about what, she and Jean had both been present when Magneto said the Professor knew about Logan's past...that he had always known."Have you seen wheels around the upper level before tonight?" He snorted, "I've also been a little busy."   
She chuckled and he rubbed his hands together, which took him back to his first meeting with Rogue in Canada.She had asked him if his claws hurt when they came out, he'd said yes and left it there. For him it wasn't the physical pain that hurt...it was the knowledge they were meant to kill and Stryker said he'd volunteered to have the metal alloy infused inside him. He had also implied Logan hadn't been a nice person before...that he was an animal then...and now.Was Stryker right? Am I nothing but an animal?  
"Logan?"He blinked and looked over."I'm sure Charles has a good reason--"  
"Yeah," He rolled his eyes, "Any guesses on Magneto's plans this time?  
""No." She sighed.  
He could hear the worry in her voice and he silently shared it.They turned onto the street leading to the campus and were startled to see a vase crash through an upstairs window of the houseon the right.Storm slammed on the breaks and they jumped out.Logan sniffed the air and his claws came out.  
"What is it?" She asked.  
"The Brotherhood!" He growled and ran for the dark house.  
Storm followed wondering what they would find and hoping they could save the people from Magneto's grasp.She could hear Logan fighting as she reached the porch and ran through the door.  
"Hey Bub, pick on someone your own race!" A mutant Logan had never seen before dropped the woman and turned to him.  
The woman scrambled away relieving Logan who could fully concentrate on his foe and not worry about her.Logan's claws extended preparing for a fight with the newcomer.  
Storm saw the frightened woman run from the room and followed...until she ran into Mystique who battered her good until Storm called upon her own mutant powers and used hurricane forced winds to blow the blue skinned shapeshifter through the french doors.She spun on her heel prepared to battle another member of the Brotherhood and saw it was Logan.  
"New guy threw me through the den doors and was gone when I got back to the livingroom.  
Storm hurried to the french doors not really surprised to see Mystique was nowhere to be seen either.The saw a helicopter fly overhead, a human male slumped against the window, they were too late."The woman." Storm said.  
Logan inhaled the air, separating the smells of the Brotherhood from others he came away with two that weren't familiar, one male, one female. He assumed the male was who had been taken so he concentrated on the female and led Storm to the garage.There was a black SUV, he inhaled, she had been there but obviously wasn't now so he followed her scent outside again.  
Storm rushed into the house grabbing a photo of a man and woman and hurried back out, she figured it was who lived there and might help them identify the pair and why the man had been taken."Hold it!"She saw a campus cop pointing a gun at Logan, rolling her eyes up to show nothing but opaque the wind started to kick up, the cop could barely hold his ground, Logan took advantage of her powers and jumped into the jeep pulling up beside Storm, she got in and the sped away and the wind died down leaving the cop stunned.The police and an ambulance arrived and the police interviewed the campus cop."What happened?"  
"Mutants." The campus cop replied, eyes following the long gone jeeps trail.


	3. Connections 3

CONNECTIONS 

Chapter 3

"We'll be able to go on-line and find out who these people are." Storm said looking at the photo. The man had an easy-going smile. His brown eyes were kind yet guarded. He was an attractive man. Her eyes went to the woman, she was blon d and blue eyed, she radiated a deep happiness. Is she the one who ran from the house?  
"And why Magneto wants him." Logan said interrupting her thoughts.  
He drove carefully, keeping his eyes on the road. He tensed as flashing lights broke the darkness and sighed relieved as they sped past.  
"He's probably after the humans again." Storm sighed.  
"No doubt." Logan nodded, it was the man's usual modus operandi, punish humans, mutants are better, and so on. He really needs to let go of his superiority complex, Logan snorted silently.

The gate opened ats they pulled up to the school and Logan drove into the garage and parked just as the sun started to rise.  
"We got there too late." Storm told Charles, Cyclops, and Kurt handing the photo over, "He got the man we think.  
"A woman got away." Logan added.  
"Zee voman in zee picture ya?" Kurt asked.  
"Don't know." Logan shrugged.  
"We'll look into this and let you know what we find out. Get some rest." The Professor ordered.  
"I'm going to grab a shower and some breakfast." Storm said and left, Kurt and Cyclops following.  
*When it's time Logan, we will talk.*  
The Canadian gave the man in the wheelchair a look that was full of promise then he departed too.

Logan took a hot shower washing away the dried sweat from his earlier fight.  
He toweled off and pulled on his blue terrycloth robe. He didn't think he'd ever owned a robe before and it was soft and offered a sense of comfort when he donned it.  
Comfort...that was foreign to him too at least it had been before he arrived here, living day to day, moving from place to place, there had been no comfort in his existence.  
Barefoot, he padded to the closet and opened the door shaking his head. When he had returned from Alkali Lake searching for his past he had discovered someone had stocked his closet and drawers with clothing, not just black as he usually wore but some colored shirts as well. They left him two leather jackets, one black the other brown and two pairs of boots in those shades too along with a couple of pairs of gym shoes. They made sure he had a dozen pairs of jeans and twice as much underwear. He never asked who bought the items but when he ate with them wearing the new clothing her saw the look that passed between Storm and Jean.  
Guess this means I have a home now...depending on what Charley has to say about my past and his knowledge of it, he sighed, dressed quickly and went downstairs to eat.

"Good morning Professor Logan."   
Logan responded with a soft growl as he reached the bottom of the stairs.  
Jubilee Lee and Rogue's boyfriend, Bobby 'Iceman' Drake.  
"Maybe I should teach art...sculpting 101." He looked at them meaningfully.  
"Uh, see you later Jube." Bobby hurried down the hall, Jubilee followed more leisurely.  
Logan sighed feeling guilty, the boy had seen him slice and dice Stryker's men...don't know whether he was more scared of them or me.  
"Maybe it's tme for a talk." He uttered.  
"With who?"  
"Hey kid." He smiled at Rogue as he turned, she hadn't starled him, he smelled her coming before she started down the staircase.  
"So who ya talking with?" She asked in her Louisiana accent.  
"Your boyfriend."  
"Please Logan." She groaned.  
"Relax kid, no plans for bodily harm." He teased.  
"Ya weren't kiddin' when ya promised to look after me were ya?" She rolled her eyes.  
"A promise is a promise."  
"No bodily harm?" She eyed him.  
"I promise." He grinned.  
She kissed her gloved hand and touched his cheek.  
"Thank you Logan." She smiled.  
"Go on." He nodded his head and smiled back.  
She left him and he again wondered just what made him care for her so much. Cracking his neck from side to side he headed to the kitchen for food before he ran into anymore geeks.


	4. Chapter 4

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 4

Logan was finishing up the repairs to the paneling outside his room.  
"You must have been a carpenter once." Storm said admiring his work.  
"Maybe you should ask Charley." He replied dropping the hammer into his tool box with a clatter.  
"Logan, Charles would only keep your past from you if he thought you could be hurt by it."  
"He said there were things the mind had to discover for itself."  
"I'm not a psychiatrist but it seems to me that too much information can cause the brain to...overload?"  
"Yeah and to add to that someone already played with my brain," he stood and sighed then popped a claw, "Not to mention my body." He growled.  
"Whatever is in the past...it doesn't define who you are now." She touched his arm.  
He turned to her and saw the inate trust and loyalty toward him and he retracted his claw giving her a small smile of gratitude.  
*Logan, Storm, we've found something, come to the study.*  
The pair exchanged a look then headed downstairs.  
They found the professor and Cyclops looking at a computer printout.  
"His name is Andrew Howell, a genetics professor. His wife died eighteen years ago." Scott, aka, Cyclops told them.  
"Then who was at the house?" Storm asked.  
"Probably his daughter Dayrn, she's a senior there." Xavier answered.  
"She saw her father kidnapped." Storm sighed.  
"So what does Magneto want with this professor?" Logan asked.  
"That's the question isn't it?" Xavier asked and rolled to the door, "Now that we know Mystique is still with him perhaps Cerebro can locate her...and Eric."  
They watched him roll out the door, while Storm and Cyclops were going over the information gleaned about Andrew Howell, Logan picked up the photo.  
What does Magneto want with you? Is he going to use you to experiment on humans...or mutants? Not while I have a breath in this body!  
Logan dropped the photo on the table and strode out of the study. He needed to be out, away from these walls that felt like they were closing in on him. His walk led him to the woods which sat behind the school. He often sought solace there when he was troubled.  
He flashed back to his own past, he had been an experiment, voluntary or not Stryker had still experimented on him and those memories had haunted him for fifteen years.  
His claws came out and he slashed the near-by tree angrily leaving a six inch gash. He was about to do the same to another tree when a familiar scent caught his nose. He retracted his claws and quietly followed the scent to a stand of trees on the otherside of the property, he saw the lone figure watching the school and crept up on them. Ten feet away he stepped on a twig and it broke, the person spun around eyes wide and pointed a gun at him.  
"Where is he?!?"   
"We don't have him. " He answered calmly, the weapon couldn't do permanent damage to him with him mutation of healing from any injury but he didn't want to put the woman in the position of feeling it necessary to fire the weapon at him.  
"I SAW YOU!" She shouted, tears falling down her cheeks.  
*Daryn*  
She gasped and looked around wildly.  
Logan lunged and grabbed for the gun.  
It went off and she shrieked when he fell to the ground, dropping the gun she fled.

Logan groaned several minutes later and gingerly felt where the bullet hit his chest, the shattered remains of the bullet fell to the ground and he slowly got to his feet and looked down and his blood soaked shirt and sighed. Another one for the garbage. He picked up the gun and her backpack and headed for the mansion.

Bobby heard pounding on the door and opened it.  
"Can I--"  
"I shot him! Get help!" The tearful woman pleaded.  
"Wha--"  
"I din't mean to! I swear it!"   
"Bobby?" Storm strode over hearing the commotion.  
"She says she shot somebody. " He told her.  
"Where?!?" Storm demanded.  
"The woods." The woman pointed toward them.  
Storm grabbed her arm and they ran toward them just as Logan exited the trees.  
Storm was brought to an abrupt halt by the woman who stood and stared at Logan.  
Uh-oh, Storm thought as the young woman began to sway, she managed to catch her as she collapsed from the shock.  
Logan hurried over and handed Storm the gun and backpack then lifted the woman and carried her to the house with Storm right beside him.


	5. Chapter 5

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 5

The woman opened her eyes and Charles smiled at her.  
"I Professor Charles Xavier, you are at my school for gifted children, Daryn."  
She looked around and her eyes fell on the pair by the door.  
"This is Logan and Ororo." Xavier said.  
"I shot you." She sat up and stared at Logan.  
"Why were you in the woods watching the school?" Xavier asked drawing her attention back to him to avoid any questions regarding Logan's health status.  
"My father told me to come here if anything happened to him."  
Xavier exchanged a look with the others.  
"Your father knows about the school?" Storm asked.  
"He said you would help us." Daryn looked at Xavier.  
Charles' brow knitted in puzzlement, he hadn't recognized Andrew Howell's photo.  
"Your dad knew...knows Charley here?" Logan asked.  
"He said you taught him in college." Daryn nodded at Xavier.  
"I taught a number of men in college..."  
"You two played chess and debated the merits of nurture and nature every week." Daryn answered.  
"My God...Nick..." Charles breathed.  
"Charles?" Storm asked.  
"Andrew Nicholas Howell. He preferred Nick." He answered.  
"Do you know who took my father?"   
"You should get some rest." Charles replied and touched the controls on his wheelchair to move away from the bed.  
She grabbed his arm, surprising him with her grip.  
"Tell me who took my father." She said quietly.  
"His name is Magneto, we're searching for him now." Charles told her.  
"Where are my shoes?" She demanded releasing her hold and climbing from bed.  
"You should rest--"  
"To hell with resting Professor, we are going to find my father!"  
"We?" Logan eyed her.  
"If it's not we then I will do it on my own!" She replied yanking the closet door open.  
"Under the bed." Charles sighed.  
She quickly pulled her shoes on and faced them.  
"Where do we start?"  
"With lunch." He replied and headed for the door.  
"Lunch?!?" Daryn gaped after him.  
"No use fighting the bald guy." Logan replied and followed him out.  
"Come on, we need to talk anyway, might as well do it over a bite to eat." Storm gently took her arm.

Scott joined them for lunch while the Professor and Storm quizzed her.Daryn related the events of the previous night, how she heard her father and his partner, her father had discovered something about the mutations but didn't want to divulge it just yet. She heard her father curse and peeked into the room, she saw his partner change into a blue skinned woman, he threw a vase at her and tried to run but a man appeared and knocked her father out. She tried to run but a the woman grabbed her."That's when you showed up. I ran to see where my father was but they had him on that helicopter. I was scared so I ran away from the house."  
"Your father told you to come here, why did you wait?" Storm asked.  
"I had forgotten his words until I went back to the house to get some clothes and his research discs. I took all the back ways getting here. I watched for a while to see if those people were around here. I pulled the gun because you scared me, I didn't mean to shoot you. Thank God I missed." Daryn looked at Logan.  
"Yeah." Logan nodded, letting her believe that.  
"Do you have those discs?" Scott asked.Daryn handed them over."Let's see if we can find out what your father discovered, maybe it will tell us why they took him." Charles said and rolled from the kitchen.Storm led the foursome to the study to look at the discs.


	6. Chapter 6

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 6

"What the hell are we looking at?" Logan growled.  
"Something in the genes?" Storm shrugged.  
"If only Jean were..." Logan trailed off, "Sorry." He sighed glancing at Scott who nodded slightly.  
"I'm not a scientist either." The man in the red tinted sunglasses sighed and turned to Daryn.  
"Don't look at me, I'm studying child psychology."  
"Whatever this means it's probably not good for us." Storm sighed.  
"What do you mean?" Daryn looked at them then her eyes grew wide, "Oh my God...you're mutants aren't you?" She whispered.  
"Just like the people who took your father kid." Logan replied.  
"But just like some humans there are some mutants that share our value of humanity...if there was no one to challenge them Daryn, humanity's days would be over." Charles answered as he joined them.  
"Charles?" Storm asked.  
"I found Mystique...Eric is undoubtedly there as well."  
Scott nodded to Storm and Logan silently saying they would go over things later, out of Daryn's hearing.  
"Where is my father?"  
"A long way from here." Charles answered.  
Daryn nodded looking down and Storm placed a hand on her shoulder vowing to bring him back to her.

 

"Professor Howell, you're going to tell me what the key to the mutations is eventually...why put undue strain on yourself?" Magneto asked.  
"Go to hell." Nick spat back defiantly.  
Magneto nodded to Mystique who sent another kick to Nick's gut.  
"We'll leave you to ponder things." Magneto said and flicked his fingers lifting the man in the air by the chains on his arms.  
Nick moaned in pain after the pair sauntered out.I'll never tell them! I'll die first! He swore silently and closed his eyes, thoughts turning to his daughter.He prayed she was safe, that she had remembered what he drilled into her all those years. Charles will take care of her no matter what happens to me. He thought about his former professor and smiled, they hadn't seen each other in years but he knew he could trust Charles Xavier with the only thing that matters to him, his daughter Daryn. He gave into his exhaustion and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 7

"Who's Mister Summer's talking to?" Rogue asked.  
"Don't know her name, she shot Logan though."  
Rogue stared at Bobby then turned to the woman with cold eyes.  
"He's okay." Bobby assured her.  
"I know that!" She snapped back and stormed over to the woman.  
"Rogue--" Bobby called and hurried after her.  
"You hurt Logan!" She barreled through the study door and pointed at Daryn.  
"Easy darlin'." The Canadian stepped between the women grabbing her gloved hand he pulled Rogue back toward the door.  
"She shot you!"  
"Rogue! Let's take a walk." He said forcefully and drug her out.  
"His girlfriend?" Daryn asked.  
"More like..." Storm trailed off not sure how to describe Logan and Rogue's relationship.  
"Maybe brother and sister...or parent and child." Scott suggested.  
"I'm going to see if he needs help." Storm said and left with Bobby in tow.  
"He's protective of her." Daryn said thoughtfully watching them disappear down the hall.  
"Your father." Scott nodded.  
"I was thinking about my uncle actually. He lived with us for a while after my mom died. I remember him telling me he would take care of us. He helped my dad a lot."  
"Where is he now?"  
"I don't know. We haven't seen him a long time. He called my dad several years ago, whatever they talked about left my dad really unhappy...and I think a little scared."  
"Scared?" Scott asked.  
"We moved right after that." She shrugged.  
Clearly Professor Howell never discussed that conversation with his daughter, understandable since she was a child, and he'd want to protect her from what frightened him.  
"Is it okay if I take a walk?" Daryn asked.  
"What if I show you around?" Scott offered.  
Daryn nodded and the pair left the study.

"She shot you!" Rogue iterated angrily.  
"Right in the chest." He nodded.  
"Logan!" She fumed.  
"She was already scared and I startled her. She didn't mean to do it darlin'."  
"Why is she here?!?" Rogue demanded.  
"Magneto kidnapped her father."  
"Why?"  
"Professor Howell discovered something about mutations." Logan sighed.  
"What is it?!? Does Magneto know?!? What is he going to do?!?"   
"We don't know. Probably by now and we don't know Magneto's plans for the information." Storm answered. "We know where they are and will go in tonight to get her father out."  
"Maybe he can make me normal." Rogue said softly looking at her gloved hands.  
She hated that just by touching someone she could suck the life out of them...and if it was another mutant she could temporarily take on their powers.  
Logan looked at her pained by the longing to be 'normal' in her voice.  
I was normal once...not that I remember my childhood...was I a happy kid? Were my parents kind and loving? Did I...do I have brothers and sisters? Logan forced the past back down and sighed as Bobby slid an arm around Rogue's shoulder.  
"Evil men succeed when good men do nothing." Rogue said and looked at them, "What's the X-Men's plan?"  
Logan loked at her startled and couldn't help but wonder if she got that from the Professor or Magneto, the man who taught that to Charley so long ago.  
"We're meeting with Scott." Storm looked at Logan who nodded and they started for the house.  
"Please be careful Logan." Rogue called., she hadn't forgotten how easily Magneto manipulated Logan's body due to his adamantium skeleton, the older mutant could use anything metal against anyone.  
"I will kid." He smiled then disappeared inside.


	8. Chapter 8

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 8

They spent an hour going over their plan of getting onto Magneto's island. Logan would take the lead in finding Howell since he had the man's scent from when they tried to rescue him.  
Returning from the lower levels the trio stepped off the elevator and headed upstairs to each take some time for themselves before the mission.  
"We'll meet back at the plane in two--" Scott started to say.  
"So when do we go and what's the plan?" Daryn asked.  
Scott nodded to the pair and they heade upstairs letting him handle it.  
"This is my father and I'm going to help rescue him." She eyed the sunglasses clad man  
"The best way to help is to stay here, where it's safe."   
"I'm not going to sit here--"  
"You. Are. Not. Going. Clear?"  
"I can help--"  
"No you can't." Scott replied and heade upstairs.

Daryn fumed watching his retreating back.  
No one dismisses me!  
She stalked down the corridor and halted as a near-by panel slid open and Professor Xavier rolled out and went the other way.  
The panel slid back in place as if it there were nothing unusual about it.  
"A subbasement?" She murmured to herself in surprise.  
"Are you going down?"   
She spun to see a tall dark haired kid behind her.  
"Uh...yeah." She nodded and smiled.  
"I'm Peter Rasputin."  
"Daryn Howell." She nodded detecting a slight Russian accent as they boarded the elevator and the door closed she gave him a bright smile, "So tell me about the others here."

 

"Did you have a nice nap Professor Howell?"  
The worn scientist looked down at Magneto as he was lowered by an invisible force.  
"Never help you." Nick rasped.  
"Perhaps not...then again..." Magneto smiled and looked behind the professor.  
Nick could barely turn his head but he heard two sets of footsteps and dread filled him before they came into view.  
Daryn was hauled in front of him.  
"Daddy." She whispered.  
"No!" Nick croaked.  
"Yes." Magneto replied and reached for Daryn who shrunk back.  
"NO! Don't hurt her, please don't hurt her!"  
"I really abhor the thought Professor Howell but..." Magneto shrugged.  
"God help me." Nick closed his eyes.  
"He will...if you help me."  
Nick opened his eyes and looked at his daughter, the terror in her eyes broke his heart.  
He dropped his head and nodded.  
"You'll tell me what you discovered about the mutations?" Magneto clarified.  
"Yes." Nick whispered brokenly.  
"Make sure she is kept comfortable." Magento motioned them out.  
The other mutant led her from the room and the door closed.  
Daryn shrugged off the man and transformed into Mystique once again, she looked at the door with a satisfied smile.  
Storm was walking down the hallway and saw Logan's door open, she knocked and poked her head in."Hey." She said as he turned.  
"Hey." He grunted back.  
"Worried about the mission?" She inquired going over to him.  
"It's Magneto, I know what to expect." He shook his head.  
"What's bothering you then?"  
"I keep thinking about the night Jean died."  
"She cared for you." Storm tried to comfort him.  
"Didn't love me though."  
"No, but you were important to her." Storm laid a hand on his shoulder.  
He nodded and sighed."I let her down--"  
"No--"  
"I'm not talking about the mission...before that."  
Storm looked at him confused.  
"I was left to watch the kids then Stryker came...he got six of them. I blew it Storm."  
"That was not your fault."  
"He said I was an animal before," Logan popped a claw, "guess I still am. I tore through his troops, no mercy."  
"How many more would he have taken if you hadn't fought? You allowed the other children to escape Logan."  
He shook his head and retracted his claw."They saw me kill. You heard Pyro on the plane...he's right, given the circumstances I wouldn't have hesitated to use my claws on those cops."  
"Like an animal?" She asked.  
"Yeah." He nodded, a pained expression on his face.  
"An animal wouldn't feel the guilt and remorse you do right now. You are no more an animal than Stryker was a man Logan." Storm hugged him.  
"Giving me absolution?" He joked after a few moments.  
"You should discuss that with Kurt." She smiled and touched his face. "Meet you down there."  
He nodded and watched her leave, catching a scent he walked to the door and found Bobby, aka, 'Iceman' there."Can I help you?"  
Bobby looked at him a long moment then shook his head and started for him own room but stopped and turned back."Good luck...on your mission." He said.  
"Thanks." Logan nodded puzzled.  
Bobby went to his door when Logan called his name."Hey kid...take care of Rogue for me."Bobby met his eyes and nodded then disappeared into his room.Logan stared at the closed door a long moment knowing something had changed between them but not exactly sure what.


	9. Chapter 9

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 9

"Change of plans, we're on the big bird." Storm told Logan as he came down to change into his uniform.  
"Why?"  
"Mechanical problem."  
"It'll be easier to spot." He frowned.  
"We'll just have to make it harder then." She smiled and left him to don his X-Men uniform.  
Logan dressed quickly, still amused to find dozen custom fit leather-like uniforms in his size, he wondered if Charlet had gotten into his head at some point to know for sure he was coming back here but finally chalked it up to the fact Rogue was still here and everyone knew how important she was to him.  
He would die for her...and nearly had.  
He reached the Blackbird and made a face as he stepped aboard.  
"What is that smell?" He asked settling into a seat.  
"It's not so bad." Scott said as he ran through the final pre-flight check.  
"Not unless you have my nose!" Logan replied buckling up.  
"The kids probably got on board." Storm answered. "I'll talk to them once we get back."  
"And add some security procedures too." Logan muttered breathing through his mouth.


	10. Chapter 10

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 10

The planes ramp came to rest on the overgrowth at the edge of the island and the trio headed inland.  
Logan led the way following the scents of the Brotherhood and followed it to a cave that had been covered by thatched together overgrowth. It was so cleverly disguised that anyone else would have missed it.  
Proceeding cautiously they entered, all senses fully alert.  
Several yards in they encountered a steel grate and Cyclops honed his laser beams to cut through three bars on both top and bottom, Logan carefully removed them and stepped through then replaced them so no one would realize they'd been tampered with, The longer to they kept their presence a secret the better chance of completing the mission.  
Logan smelled the air and motioned them down the corridor, they had to duck into a room when they heard footsteps. Once the Brotherhood were out of sight they went on their way in search of Professor Howell. Logan followed the unseen traces of smell from him, the fear he smelled caused a stirring in him he was puzzled by and shook it off, time to figure that out later.  
They reached a steel door with a handle and the X-Men traded uncertain looks.  
Storm decided for them when she reached over and pulled it open, the thick door moved effortlessly and they cautiously peered inside, wary as to why it was so easy to get into Magneto's lair. Stepping inside they realized the door was to keep someone in, not someone out. Hurrying over to the man hanging by his chained arms Logan used his claws to cut the barely conscious man loose and caught him as he dropped.  
"Let's go." Scott whispered and headed for the door, Storm right behind.  
"Guys."  
They turned back and saw Logan standing there gritting his teeth and realized he couldn't move.  
"Welcome my brothers." Magneto chuckled as he floated down and Mystique along with another mutant stepped inside.  
The unfamiliar mutant strode over and yanked Howell out of Logan's arms then Magneto flicked his wrist and sent Logan into the wall with tremendous force and knocked him unconscious.  
Cyclops reached for his visor, managing to get one shot off before Mystique kicked him in the jaw rendering him unconscious as well.  
Storm knew there was nothing she could do, no way to get enough wind up in this small space.  
"Let me show you to your accomodations Storm." Magneto said with the graciousness of a host showing his guest to their room.  
Mystique hefted Cyclops onto her shoulders while Magneto raised Logan and floated him along, the new mutant carried Howell and brought up the rear.Storm could tell the were going uphill and finally Magento led them to another cell much like the one that held Senator Kelly, the only way out was a hundred feet down to the water below.  
"Make sure you tell Mister Summers not to open his eyes when he wakes...I'd hate to injure my brothers...adversarial as you are." Magneto said removing Cyclops visor.  
"Is that why you knocked them both out?" Storm retorted.  
"Another word of warning, the bars carry a powerful current...even adamantium isn't immune. I do learn from my mistakes." He replied as they stepped out and with a wave of his hand the bars resumed their former shape imprisoning the X-Men.  
Storm could feel the current eminating from the bars and wondered if she could use it some how.  
"Come, time to finish what we've started Professor Howell. Imagine, a whole world of mutants is about to come into existence." Magneto said smiling as they carried him away.  
"We learn from our mistakes too." Storm murmured and slid a pair of specialty sunglasses out of a hidded pocket in her cape and placed them over Cyclops eyes. "Okay guys, time to wake up." She said and began to shake the men.


	11. Chapter 11

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 11

Daryn slowly rose from her hiding place and stepped to the door which opened.She quickly rehid when a blue skinned woman strode up the gangplank. A few moments later she felt the plane rise, panicked she looked around for a weapon, she wasn't leaving without her father, fortunately the plane was only airborn for a few moments. Daryn heard the woman leave the plane then waited a good five minutes before peeking out. The gangplank was down so she looked out, seeing the coast clear she ran from the plane across the open cavern to the door.  
She looked and listened and hearing no sounds but her own breathing she quickly walked down the corridor, coming to a junction she bit her lip and silently eenie, meenie, minied and moed until her finger pointed left on the last word . Another look both ways and she headed left to find her father.

Mystique opened the door and stepped inside the room. She looked at the man chained to the chair and found herself fascinated by him...even attracted to him. There was only one other man she'd been attracted to and he was their unconscious prisoner at the moment but perhaps there would be time to seek his company later, she's have to do something about those claws though...  
She reached out and stroked the scientists face and he opened his eyes. She licked her lips seductively.  
"You're not...my type." He rasped.  
Mystique backhanded him angrily, "You hate mutants?!?" She seethed.  
"Just women...who want to...destroy the world."  
They were interrupted by a yelp and the other mutant appeared holding Daryn.  
Mystique stared at her a moment then stalked out.  
Daryn was shoved to her father and the steel door slammed closed behind the mutants as they left.  
"Dad!" Daryn ran over to him hugging him then unchained him and worked on the door. It took a little effort but she got the door open and helped her father out, heading for the plane they were forced to duck into another room as they heard voices coming toward them. They found themselves looking at monitors, the plane and X-Men were both displayed.  
"We have...to help them." Nick said weakly.  
"I need to get you out of here."   
"Daryn."   
It was his father voice and she knew it would brook no argument.  
"Alright." She sighed and found another room that seemed to be used for storage and hid him there.  
"Be careful." Her father held her hand for a moment.  
She hugged him tightly then went to find the others.


	12. Chapter 12

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 12

Xavier sat by Logan's bedside watching him sleep. He seemed to be dreaming but not a nightmare as his mouth curved into a genuine smile and Xavier wondered if it were a good dream...or memory.  
You'll never know how torn I am. I want to help you to remember, ease the pain of the gaps in your memory but you're so fragile right now. No one would believe it to look at you would they? On the outside your indestructable but inside...inside you're an innocent child who needs protecting from the horrors of your past. Eric was right, I don't want to fail you as I did Jason.  
"I promise I won't fail you." He whispered.  
"How is he?"  
"Healing. How are you?" Xavier turned and looked at the man he hadn't seen in over twenty years. He studied him, Nick was older of course, his brown hair shorn close to his head though it was showing more silver than brown now.  
"Tired. Relieved. Awed." Nick answered coming over, eyes on the man on the bed.  
"Awed? In what way?" Xavier asked curiously.  
"I--"  
Logan moaned and began thrashing around.  
"Move back, he--" Xavier started to warn when Nick started singing softly, to his stunned surprise Logan ceased his agitated movements. "Nick?" He looked at the man.  
"Sorry to interrupt but we need to go over everything." Storm said coming inside Logan's room.  
"What did you tell Magneto?" Scott asked a step behind her.  
"Not here." Xavier motioned them out and turned to close the door behind them when he caught the softest whisper of a name from Logan but couldn't make it out, he shut the door softly hoping Logan would rest peacefully.

They went to the planning room and Xavier looked at Nick.  
"I found the key to the mutations Charles. I'm not sure but I think Magneto means to trigger it now." Nick said.  
"Instead of it coming naturally." Storm frowned.  
"In children." Cyclops shook his head, "hard enough to deal with naturally but as an infant or toddler?"  
"Newborn and in the womb. He has to be stopped." Charles said, "Do you know how he intends to do it?" Xavier asked Nick.  
"He built some sort of device." Nick replied.  
"Just like before." Storm nodded.  
Cyclops cursed and turned toward Nick angrily.  
"I'm sorry, he had Daryn."  
"Daryn was safe here. It was probably Mystique, a shape changer they used to fool you." Xavier told him.  
"I'm sorry Charles." Nick said guiltily.  
"It's alright." Xavier rolled over to him, "I need to read you, find out Eric's plans."  
"No."  
"Nick--"  
"You can't Charles. I'm resistant to telepathy. I only moved the chess pieces to let you think you were influencing me." Nick shook his head.  
Xavier looked at him skeptically.  
"Suit yourself." Nick shrugged and let him try to read his mind.  
White noise? Charles looked at him surprised.  
"I can hear you but you can't get in my head and control me." Nick replied.  
"How do we get the information now?" Cyclops asked.  
"Do you know which part of the cavern he built it in?" Xavier asked Nick.  
"Sorry." Nick shook his head.  
"Maybe it's like the other one he tried to use at the Statue of Liberty." Cyclops suggested and brought up a holograph of the device Magneto tried to use to turn the 'normal' humans into mutants too.  
"No, it wasn't that big. I only caught a glimpse of it but it was small...hand held infact." Nick told them.  
"Portable." They turned to see Logan in the doorway.  
"Children...babies...the hospital!" Storm exclaimed.  
"Let's go!" Logan said and turned, he looked over at the hand on his arm.  
"Please be careful." Nick said.  
Logan frowned at him then nodded and Nick released his hold and the X-Men left on their mission.  
"Nick?"The professor turned back to Xavier who looked at him questioningly.With a last loook at the corridor they had disappeared down he turned to his old mentor and began to talk.


	13. Chapter 13

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 13

The X-Men walked into the hospital in street clothes so as not to draw attention to themselves. Logan inhaled deeply and nodded to them. The Brotherhood was here. Magneto and Mystique by the smell. The trio proceeded to the maternity/ birthing ward where they were stopped by the security door, it required a keycard to get inside.  
"Storm, check the desk for the card to get it open." Cyclops said looking at the door system.  
"Magneto's in there." Logan said looking through the window as Storm searched for the keycard.  
"Mystique probably killed somene and used their card." Cyclops replied.  
"Or Magneto overloaded their system." Logan grunted.  
"I found two." Storm handed them over to Cyclops who tried both to no avail.  
"Who are you people?!?"  
"Do you have a card to get in here?" Logan asked walking over to the nurser, he could smell the beginning of her fear.  
"I'm calling security!" She reached for the phone.  
"We need that card lady, someone inside there is going to do something very bad and we're the only ones who can stop it. Help us." Logan said gripping her arm.  
The nurse's eyes darted from Logan to the others.  
"Please." Storm asked.  
The nurse's eyes went down to her badge subconsciously.  
Logan removed it and handed it to Storm then led the nurse to the storage close to her protestations.  
"You'll be safer in here, trust me." Logan said and locked her in.  
Cyclops ran the card through the reader and the light turned green and they hurried inside.  
The trio exchanged a look seeing the nurse's desk vacant. They tensed ready to fight.  
Walking quickly they reached the nursery where they saw a doctor looking through the window at the newborns, the medic gave them a glance then went inside the room.  
The X-Men went around the corner satisfied the babies there were safe when Logan stopped and inhaled, he turned abck before Storm and Cyclops could ask what he detected, they hurried to catch up and heard a cacophony of noise.   
Shattered glass, babies crying and Wolverine and Mystique going at each other was what they came upon.   
Storm pinted out the device on the floor of the nursery and it started to float away from them, Cyclops tuned his laser beam eyes and blew it up before Magneto could retrieve it.

Magneto's eyes hardened as his gene accelerator blew up. He raised his hand and lifted Logan into the air and shot his through a wall angrily.  
Pyro stepped from behind him, flicked his lighter and sent a ball of fire toward Storm and Cyclops.  
Storm's eyes turned white and she sent a gust of wind at it to keep it from the babies, at the same time the hospital fire sprinklers went off helping to extinguish the flame.  
In the distraction the Brotherhood escaped to their frustration.  
Cyclops went to help Logan who was unconscious and bleeding, it took he and Storm to get him out as the security team, doctors and nurses tried to get into the ward.  
They made a quick escape down the stairs and were gone before security got to the door.


	14. Chapter 14

CONNECTIONS  
Chapter 14

Logan.  
The Canadian opened his eyes and sighed.  
"There are some days I hate having adamantium in me." He muttered sitting up.  
"It's time."  
"Time?" Logan looked at Xavier.  
"For our talk." Xavier replied and rolled to the door.  
"Hold up Charley." Logan called and climbed from the bed to follow.  
Xavier remained silent as they rode the elevator to the main floor and proceeded to the study.  
Logan knew Professor Howell was there having picked up his scent as they exited the elevator. "Charley?"  
"Have a seat Logan. I did know about you, like I knew about the others. I knew of Alkali Lake and the exoperiments on mutants taking place there--"  
"You did nothing to stop it?!?" Logan accused, claws extending, he'd forgotten all about Howell's presence.  
"I wasn't as strong then." Xavier sighed sadly.  
Logan lifted his hand pointing his claws at the other man, "Were you part of that too?!?"  
"Logan...Nick had a brother who was experimented on..." Xavier answered.  
"His mutation was self healing. I remember when he showed me... he cut his palm and it healed in seconds, I cut mine and it took weeks to heal. He swore me to secrecy and I never told anyone until today...until Charles had me run a DNA test."  
Logan stared at the man speechless. He understod what they were telling him, it just seemd so impossible after wondering for so long about his past.  
"The tests subjects matched Logan...brothers." Charles said gently.  
"My older brother's name was James Edward Howell." Nick said stepping in front of Logan who's claws retracted. "I called him Jay."  
"I don't remember." Logan whispered seeing the truth in the other man's eyes.  
"Charles told me...but I do remember." Nick smiled at him.  
"My brother." Logan studied him.  
"I prayed for so long that we would see each other again." Nick replied and shook his head smirking, "My older brother looks younger than I do."  
"His mutation makes his age impossible to determine. You two have a lot to talk about." Xavier smiled at Logan and left them.  
"Tell me...tell me about myself." Logan looked at his brother.  
"You're um...quite a few years older than I am. We grew up in Alberta, on a farm."  
"Any other siblings?"  
"Just us." Nick shook his head.  
"What kind of things did I like?"  
"You have a motorcycle...it's in our garage. I used to sit on it when you weren't home. You would have killed me had you known." Nick chuckled.  
"I did know." Logan said, "I can smell scents...when we were looking for you I felt like your scent was familiar but I didn't know how or why." Logan replied smiling at his brother, "What else?"  
"You seemed to be gone a lot. Mom said you were a wandering soul. They're dead. Car accident when I was twelve. You raised me until I left for college."  
Logan nodded, silently wishing he could remember his kid brother.  
"Who did this to you?" Nick touched his hand.  
"His name was Stryker...made me into Weapon X." Logan answered bitterly and stepped away revealing his claws. "The metal was grafted onto my bones...I'm the perfect killing machine...an animal that can kill but not be killed." He said looking at them.  
"You're not an animal James, you are my brother." Nick stepped over to him, Logan retracted his claws and Nick hugged him."How long ago was this?" Nick asked.  
"Over fifteen years."   
"That was the special project you called me about."  
"I called you?"  
"You told me you had been chosen for a special project for the military," Nick nodded, "I asked you what it was but you didn't know the details. I told you I didn't like it but you said it would be fine."  
"When I woke up in the forest with these I didn't think I could live with it. I tried to kill myself a dozen times...it always healed. Until just a few years ago I would have welcomed death...then I truly felt death I didn't care for it."  
"I'm glad. We wouldn't be together again if you had."  
They looked at each other silently for a moment before Logan spoke."Why did you become a geneticist?"  
Nick sighed and looked away a moment then met his brothers eyes."For you. To understand your mutation..."  
"And how to make me normal?"  
"Yes." Nick admitted.  
"I've learned to live with it...little brother." Logan smiled at him.  
"Guess I'll have to as well...for you and Daryn...she's...strong."  
"I heard the mutation comes from the father." Logan looked at him.  
"Dormant for most." Nick nodded."So I heal, Daryn is strong...you?"  
"Not unless you count resisting telepathy." Nick shrugged.  
"If only I had that." Logan rolled his eyes."Charles?" "Yeah." Logan rolled his eyes making Nick laugh.  
"I never thanked you." Nick said softly.  
"For what?""When Heidi died you were there for us, especially Daryn."   
The gratitude on his brothers face was plain to Logan."You were family." Logan shrugged, he didn't remember of course but his presence then had clearly helped them, "You said my name was James?"  
"Yes."  
"I wonder how I came to be called Logan?"  
"Mount Logan maybe? You took me camping there every summer."  
Logan nodded thoughtfully, it must have been a good memory for him to call himself that.  
"We need to tell Daryn her favorite uncle is alive." Nick smiled at him.  
"Does she have another uncle?' Logan asked as they left the study.  
"No." Nick chuckled at Logan's scowl as they headed to the kitchen where Logan knew his newly discovered niece was with Scott.  
"Dad!" She hurried over and hugged him.  
"I...we...need to talk to you." Nick glanced at the other man in the room.  
"It's okay, Scott can stay." Logan said.  
"Honey, do you still have that locket?" Daryn lifted it from her shirt.  
Nick opened it and showed Logan a picture of a clean shaven Logan who couldn't help but smile at his younger self.  
"Dad?"  
"Sweetheart...Logan...is Uncle Jay."  
"What?!?" Daryn gaped at them.  
"A lot had happened since he left us." Nick smiled closing the locket and letting it rest against her chest.  
"He's really...he's really Uncle Jay?" She looked at her father.  
"Yes." He smiled back.  
Logan was startled to get an armful of his niece as she hugged him tightly.  
"You know your past now." Scott smiled at him and left the family to their reunion.  
Logan slowly smiled as he realized he had a future, with a past now too...and thought perhaps this girl, his niece Daryn, was the reason he'd taken Rogue into his heart.I have my family again, he grinned at his brother feeling the weight of an unknown past melting away to the promise of a better, fuller future.  
The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I pictured Cameron Daddo as 'Nick' when I wrote this.


End file.
